One of the most important aspects in portrait photography is lighting. The kind of light that you should use to illuminate your subject is different from the light that other people are used to seeing photographers use. Lighting in portrait photography is slightly more challenging than lighting in other types of photography, because it is difficult to get the proper exposure. Portrait photographers are usually trying to catch the right mood of the subject, and using the wrong lighting will ruin that mood. In this article I will give you some tips on how to set up lights for portrait photography.
One of the first things that you need to do is determine where the light is over your subject. Try to determine where the light is over the head, the body, the arms or even the legs. This will help you set the correct light level. You will want to set up the lights so that they fall around the focal point of the picture. If you have a clear focus in mind, then you will be able to select the lights that are going to best show that focus.
Now that you have the light over the focal point, you need to determine where you are going to place the light. It is very common for portrait photographers to position the lights higher or lower than what most people would do. Usually, the photographer will want to have the light about six to twelve feet above the subject. If you are using a studio, you will also want to place the light somewhere between twenty to thirty feet from the ground.
The next thing that you need to do is figure out what type of lighting you are going to be using for your portrait. You can choose between ambient, task, highlight, and soft lights. Ambient lighting is the lighting that makes everything seem dim. Task lighting provides a bright source of light for when you are working on something. A task light will cause the background of your subject to stand out.
If you are going to use ambient lighting, you will have the most control over the way that the lights are displayed. This will make it easy for you to get the effect that you want. What you will want to do is to install a dimmer switch so that you can control how much light is displayed. Having the right level of light is important for your portrait photographer as it helps him or her to capture your subject in a flattering light.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you should have the appropriate amount of reflectivity for your lighting. Selectivity refers to how bright or dark the light is. If you have too much light, it will wash out the complexion of your subject and it will appear harsh. However, if you have too little light, your subject will appear glowing and you will not be able to capture their true beauty.
When you have decided what type of lights you need for portrait photography, you should focus on learning how to position them. The position of the lights will make a huge difference in how good your portrait looks. Your portrait photographer should start by learning where to position them to get the best lighting. If you do not have any idea as to where to place them, your photographer is probably not an expert and may accidentally position them in a manner that does not enhance the image.
Learning how to set up lights for portrait photography is an important step to take when you are working with a camera that does not have a remote control. You will need to learn how to position them in order to illuminate your subject. It is not enough to simply point the flash at your subject. You need to know how to position it in order to catch the light and bounce it back. This is especially important if your subject is moving. By bouncing the light back from the subject you can create soft, flattering shadows.